It's 1961 New York, the folk music scene was going strong, but Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) in on the weak side. He's always broke, living on friends' couches and not successful with his music. This film has some of the Coen Brothers hallmark traits: interesting characters (and some hilarious ones), deadpan humor, as well as intelligent approaches to plot, situations and people. The songsIt's 1961 New York, the folk music scene was going strong, but Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) in on the weak side. He's always broke, living on friends' couches and not successful with his music. This film has some of the Coen Brothers hallmark traits: interesting characters (and some hilarious ones), deadpan humor, as well as intelligent approaches to plot, situations and people. The songs are given extended play (with the actors singing live) and actors are all excellent. While this film is richly observed and enjoyable, it's a bit slight by Coen Brothers standards.…Expand

INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS is a feat of filmmaking, taking the gentle strains of folk music and revealing it for the revolutionary act that it is. Not just because it has been the soundtrack of many social movements, but of personal ones, too. Oscar Isaac as Llewyn is revelatory, a bone-tired, supremely talented man whose passion for making music is struggling mightily against the whims of theINSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS is a feat of filmmaking, taking the gentle strains of folk music and revealing it for the revolutionary act that it is. Not just because it has been the soundtrack of many social movements, but of personal ones, too. Oscar Isaac as Llewyn is revelatory, a bone-tired, supremely talented man whose passion for making music is struggling mightily against the whims of the industry and his demons one being the loss of his musical partner to suicide. When Isaac sings, we're transported first to the dusky bars of 1960s West Village and, more important, to the jungle of discouragement and confusion he's living in. It's a powerful performance. Supporting him is a great ensemble, some new to the Coen Brothers family (Timberlake, thankfully subdued and nearly holding his own against the others) and some beloved veterans (Goodman). It's not just Isaac and the cast, though, that makes Inside Llewyn Davis remarkable. The music, with T-Bone Burnett in charge of the soundtrack, takes its rightful place front and center. And the Coens tell the story in a clever, elliptical way that drives home the futility and magic of a time. But it's not all sadness and tears. The Coens' singular humor runs a streak through the entire enterprise. Go see it.…Expand

Another solid entry into the Coen Brothers' extensive filmography, Inside Llewyn Davis is a very pleasant and enjoyable look into the life of a fictional folk musician in 1960s New York. Oscar Isaac is phenomenal in the lead role and Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, and John Goodman, all stand out as some of the good supporting performances, in particular Mulligan, who really killed it.Another solid entry into the Coen Brothers' extensive filmography, Inside Llewyn Davis is a very pleasant and enjoyable look into the life of a fictional folk musician in 1960s New York. Oscar Isaac is phenomenal in the lead role and Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, and John Goodman, all stand out as some of the good supporting performances, in particular Mulligan, who really killed it. The music is also very good here and the fact that they are also results of the actors actually singing them is all the more impressive. The cinematography here is also splendid and I, in particular, really enjoyed the slight blue filter. It really captures the mood well and it simply looks really good and gives this one a distinctive look. The plot is simplistic, but very interesting and it feels entirely authentic to the times and the life lived by musicians at the time. Overall, Inside Llewyn Davis is a solid little film that is not, as a whole, great or very good, but it is very easy to watch and even easier to enjoy.…Expand

Another strong showing by the Coen Brothers. The Coen's know how to start a film by making you feel lost but by the end your totally on board and are completely satisfied. Also this is a great soundtrack. A

A story of a man simply trying to start, not necessarily finish, and encountering problems along the way. The Coen brothers are still filmmakers that expose brutal honesty and realism to their films, only this time they do not add the level of comical violence. Just the story of an artist trying not to get back on his feet, but simply to stand up, and yes, I know I've just repeated myself.A story of a man simply trying to start, not necessarily finish, and encountering problems along the way. The Coen brothers are still filmmakers that expose brutal honesty and realism to their films, only this time they do not add the level of comical violence. Just the story of an artist trying not to get back on his feet, but simply to stand up, and yes, I know I've just repeated myself. Oscar Isaac is a new talent as this man who we both feel both pity and disdain for. The cinematography, the soundtrack, everything fits with the time and era of the film.…Expand

This really is a delightful gem of a film with a unique and beautifully rendered screenplay that is performed to joyful perfection by a talented cast. Oscar Isaac plays the titular Llewyn Davis, a struggling folk singer, who may not be all that likeable a character, but is certainly very engaging to watch. This is one of the Coens best pictures to date, one to stand alongside 'BloodThis really is a delightful gem of a film with a unique and beautifully rendered screenplay that is performed to joyful perfection by a talented cast. Oscar Isaac plays the titular Llewyn Davis, a struggling folk singer, who may not be all that likeable a character, but is certainly very engaging to watch. This is one of the Coens best pictures to date, one to stand alongside 'Blood Simple' and 'Fargo', and a real surprise. Some lovely songs permeate the film adding to the hypnotic like hold it exudes. It is also beautifully shot with some well lit cinematography particularly in the club and during the road trip scenes in the second half. Carey Mulligan and John Goodman are amongst those etching out well drawn characters in small parts. Another great performance is given by a particularly obedient ginger Tom who doesn't seem to have any fear of the New York underground system. This is that rare beast, a film that gets better the more you reflect on its nuances.…Expand

Llewyn Davis, a loose take on the folk singer Dave Van Volk, will, in hindsight, not be remembered as one of the Coen brothers’ most interesting characters and neither will the movie, in which he is the eponymous protagonist. However, Inside Llewyn Davis is still another great picture by the inseparable duo that can deservedly look forward to a couple of Oscar nominations in January.Llewyn Davis, a loose take on the folk singer Dave Van Volk, will, in hindsight, not be remembered as one of the Coen brothers’ most interesting characters and neither will the movie, in which he is the eponymous protagonist. However, Inside Llewyn Davis is still another great picture by the inseparable duo that can deservedly look forward to a couple of Oscar nominations in January.

Whether it’s the trademark cynical writing, the excellent acting throughout the cast, the bleak yet beautiful cinematography (even though it’s not Coen regular Roger Deakins this time around, but Amélie’s Bruno Delbonnel), or the perfectly done editing (reaching its pinnacle in a sort of match-cut between a man and a cat walking) this semi-musical is done flawlessly and should be a feast for connoisseurs of quality movies. Yet I can’t exclude the fact that the 105 minutes feels like a lot more than that and that the full-length folk performances popping up every now and then only increase this. That’s not an all-too-strong counterargument though, as the sheer fact that Ethan and Joel Coen succeeded in making a so heavily down-to-earth and unspectacular story into a movie that I will definitely watch some time again is enough for praise. The protagonist, as it turns out, is probably the most relatable character in the year of 2013 and seeing him perpetually fail in his attempts at becoming able to really live from his hobby gets all the more harrowing to watch through that.

Inside Llewyn Davis is the perfect dramedy and additionally a lovely experience for fellow cat-lovers, as the tubby with the aptonym Ulysses gets more screen time to be cute than all the supporting actors. That again shows that it’s all about Llewyn and his never-ending cycle of failing, which makes the movie, despite being a step back in humour and inventiveness, a Coen number one: in the category of those of their works one can easily spend an hour thinking about.…Expand

Only the Coen Brothers can take such an unlikeable main character and make a completely watchable, entertaining film. I loved almost the entire film with the exception of the road trip featuring John Goodman and his "partner". Those characters came across as kind of creepy instead of funny and didn't really add anything to the film. Other than that, the film had a lot of scenes thatOnly the Coen Brothers can take such an unlikeable main character and make a completely watchable, entertaining film. I loved almost the entire film with the exception of the road trip featuring John Goodman and his "partner". Those characters came across as kind of creepy instead of funny and didn't really add anything to the film. Other than that, the film had a lot of scenes that made me think of the film long after I left the theater. I had never heard of Oscar Isaac before this film, but he is totally believable as a frustrated, gifted musician who makes one bad decision after another. The movie is simply a week or so in a folk singer's life in the early 1960's, and how some struggling musicians lived and survived in the New York Bohemian scene. It also reminded me a little of the documentary "20 Feet From Stardom" that focused on the mystery of why some talented people never become stars despite having obvious talent. Loved the black and white photography and I really appreciate the Coen Brothers for thinking outside the box on some of their camera shots. Overall, definitely one of my favorite films of the year.…Expand

No doubt it was a good movie with fine characters and great story. This movie reminds one of my favourite movie of recent time ‘Frances Ha’. Because both the main characters from these two movies are more alike. Theirs professional struggle and also chronicles relationship problems.

This, Coen brothers latest created lots of noise before hitting the screen. Like everyone I too expectedNo doubt it was a good movie with fine characters and great story. This movie reminds one of my favourite movie of recent time ‘Frances Ha’. Because both the main characters from these two movies are more alike. Theirs professional struggle and also chronicles relationship problems.

This, Coen brothers latest created lots of noise before hitting the screen. Like everyone I too expected what they gonna give to us. I enjoyed it. The folk songs were so good and it was not nominated for Oscar because most of them were not original. According to the filmmakers, especially the music section was inspired by 70s, but not the lyrics.

Beautiful cinematography, very eye catching colour palette. It was on the short list for Oscar, but lost to the magnum Opus 'Gravity'. I was rooting for any of these two in this category for Academy awards.

I think Carey Mulligan is used to it with a character like this, an anti-good roles or an irritable one. In a recent 'The Great Gatsby' as well she was in such role. But I like her, she's the one of a beauty that Hollywood imported from Britain.

The only trouble the movie gave me was the tease in many parts. It teased me with its scenes when I expected something it went opposite direction made me look like a fool. Yeah, it was good thinking by the Coen brothers as the script writers, but I felt a little let down when they carried away throughout. In the end the buzz they created did not end in what everyone could expect. I don't know it is good or bad, but the movie will win our hearts.

Believe it is not your regular movie, but looks like one, that is the trick made by the legendary brothers. If you like sentiments with a low amount of its contents and realistic characters, then it will be your movie to have a peek inside.…Expand

Ethan Coen and Joel Coen has to be two masterclass director's and writers in movie media, and I said that back in my older reviews of these two.

The story to Inside Llewyn Davis is about a trip through New York's folk music scene in the 1960s as a singer-songwriter does his best to make it through these times.
Every time the Coen brothers release a new movie I always expect somethingEthan Coen and Joel Coen has to be two masterclass director's and writers in movie media, and I said that back in my older reviews of these two.

The story to Inside Llewyn Davis is about a trip through New York's folk music scene in the 1960s as a singer-songwriter does his best to make it through these times.

Every time the Coen brothers release a new movie I always expect something great from them as they other films never let me down and always top my exception. With Inside Llewyn Davis it's a road trip film with little comedy this and there, and once again the Coen brothers showed off how talent they truly are, because this movie is freaking fantastic.

I have to be honest here but I didn't know who Oscar Isaac was before watching this movie. I couple of times I heard someone brought up his name but that's it really, didn't know who he was so when I watched this movie my first thought when I saw his acting and singing was "I want to see him in more films", because this guy is just brilliant and I'm a bit disappointing of myself for not seeing his other films in the past. His character can come off a bit of a douche at times but he played the role so well and breath so much life into it that I actually liked him, all because of Oscar Isaac.

The directing and the writing by the Coen brothers and do I need say more, I'm running out of things to say about this two masters of filmmakers. The movie is was written really well and once again I'm can't find anything else to say of what I ready said before in my other past reviews. The songs in this movie are probably some of the best music I've heard in a while and it was really catcher as well.

I love the way this film looks, you know that bright, clean looking and gorgeous to look at cinematography that stands out. The cinematography in this movie is just utterly spectacular. every shot looks like it took forever to get the perfect shot and a lot of hard work went into this to get, but the people who did the cinematography in this movie pulled it off perfectly and no wonder they got a Oscar nomination for it.

My only small little nick pick with the film is the John Goodman character (Roland Turner) Now don't get me wrong I like John Goodman has a actor and as a person , but I didn't feel like he fitted in the film, that might just be me but his character just kind of show up and then goes and never brought up again.

Overall Inside Llewyn Davis is a fanatic drama peace with a lot of amazing things to experience in this film.…Expand

Inside Llewyn Davis was the first Coen brothers movie I ever saw that they wrote themselves, so I was kind of surprised of the style they used in this film. Although, Inside Llewyn Davis was still a good movie.

Absolutely beautifully shot. The Coen brothers certainly show that they have mastered using the camera to capture the bleak feeling that this movie has. That being said the film still manages to be funny at multiple times and it is filled with good music. Oscar Isaac does a great job as Llewyn and the entire cast supports him marvelously. The only real problem with the film is theAbsolutely beautifully shot. The Coen brothers certainly show that they have mastered using the camera to capture the bleak feeling that this movie has. That being said the film still manages to be funny at multiple times and it is filled with good music. Oscar Isaac does a great job as Llewyn and the entire cast supports him marvelously. The only real problem with the film is the ambiguity of the ending. It ends and you end up asking yourself whether the ending made it more philosophical or just gave it a feeling of being unfinished.…Expand

This film you could never say is amazing exactly, but it's a very pleasant film that you can easily enjoy. Even though the main character goes through a lot of hardships you still end up finding the viewing gentle and easy to consume. The film doesn't really end up going anywhere, but in all honesty it's not that bad a thing. It chronicles a week for this folk singer, and not all peopleThis film you could never say is amazing exactly, but it's a very pleasant film that you can easily enjoy. Even though the main character goes through a lot of hardships you still end up finding the viewing gentle and easy to consume. The film doesn't really end up going anywhere, but in all honesty it's not that bad a thing. It chronicles a week for this folk singer, and not all people come to some sort of conclusion at the end of their week! However, davis is a dick for leaving thw cat in the car, almost made me want to put this film down to a 6/7! Performances are also good, and also the film comes with trademark Coen brother humour and direction that make the film recognisable in that aspect and also enjoyable. Give it a wath one night when you're feeling up for something not too heavy to watch.…Expand

The essence of any character piece, especially one like this, is that for a short period of time (in this case, an hour and forty-five minutes), we are completely inside a person’s world; navigating through their faults, problems, dreams, goals, hardships, conquests and successes. Inside Llewyn Davis is a film with very little accomplishments for its title character, but the film itself isThe essence of any character piece, especially one like this, is that for a short period of time (in this case, an hour and forty-five minutes), we are completely inside a person’s world; navigating through their faults, problems, dreams, goals, hardships, conquests and successes. Inside Llewyn Davis is a film with very little accomplishments for its title character, but the film itself is anything but dissatisfying. Gorgeous in its bleakness and ridled with grey areas surrounded by sadness and endless failures, Inside Llewyn Davis is a slow, melodic narrative about the criticism that ridicule the life of an artist and the passion that ignites us all.

The Coen Brothers may very well be one of the most respected and applauded American directing duo working today, and rightly so. In their newest writing/directing gig, the Coens single-handedly deliver one of the most mysterious folktales in American cinema history, showcasing the talents of an actor who can sing his heart out and help drive one of the best original soundtracks in recent memory. The truth of the matter is, the Coen‘s completely submerge themselves in their work, and it is quite evident with Davis. Like its misunderstood and highly underrated protagonist, the film is a descent into the truth of the subjectivity of art and music. Every person is entitled to their own taste, and folk music is one genre that may not be for everyone. Fortunately for audiences and cinema lovers, the Coen brothers craft a finely-tuned tale of an artist’s struggle to make it in the Greenwich Village music scene in New York City during the early 1960′s. My only hope is that this film doesn’t find itself limited to theatres full of indie film lovers, Coen fanatics, and young kids looking to get pointers on how to be “hipster”.

Inside Llewyn Davis is a film loosely based on the life and music of Dave Van Ronk, an acoustic folk pioneer in the 60′s. But like so many, including myself, who had never heard of Van Ronk, the film itself is a testament to the power of interdisciplinary art forms. From the moment the spotlight is on, we are never quite sure if we are processing the power of the musicians on the small stages of coffee shops in Greenwich village, or if we are just surprised those musicians are actually just actors. Thankfully that’s where the talent and genius of chief executive music producer T Bone Burnett shines. Llewyn Davis becomes an applause worthy narrative that centers on the music and the stories these rich characters tell with their heavy lyrics and the strum of their acoustic guitars rather than just another character piece about a bunch of musicians. Instead of opting for A-list actors and teaching them how to pass with lip-syncing, the Coens got a hold of talented actors with incredible singing/songwriting abilities. From Justin Timberlake to Carey Mulligan to Marcus Mumford, the directors as well as music producer Burnett focus on the sound of the film to carry its authentic charm rather than the noises music-centric films often make. Delivering a bare-boned, authentically raw and vulnerable film stripped of all glamour, and instead is replaced with the grungy tattered clothing of real artists struggling to find a place to sleep, the artists and actors, as well as the music, are the real stand-out performers of Davis.

The film takes place over a week in the life of Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac). Beginning under the uncertain smoky spotlight of the Gaslight Anthem, it is evident that Davis’ voice, along with his sad storytelling music is heart wrenching, to say the least. The film begins and Davis introduces himself and his music with the sombre lyrics “Hang me, oh hang me”, a small glimpse into the reality Llewyn has faced as of recent. Llewyn has seen his fair share of death and tragedy, especially after his musical partner Mike commits suicide. As Llewyn tries to find a way to not just exist, but become something of himself as a folk musician, his journey as well as the journeys of everyone he meets along the way, becomes a modern-day Greek tragedy.

There are roles some people are just born to play, and Oscar Isaac was born to play the role of Llewyn Davis. The moment his mouth opens and his eyes gaze upon the scarce crowd, he delivers on a level that is satisfying for a singer as well as an actor, that makes you want to stand up and applaud after every song he sings–literally, I actually had to stop myself from standing up and applauding. Needless to say Isaac left his audience in the theatre hypnotized. Isaac delivers in ways that are both vile yet breathtaking. Irresponsible, unapologetic and inconsiderate to everyone, Llewyn Davis epitomizes the selfish arrogance any artists must learn to contain while on their seemingly endless uphill battle to success. Llewyn’s actions are unethical and impulsive, and his demeanour although comical at times, is somewhat unnerving.…Expand

I love the Coen Brothers, and this movie is no exception, the atmosphere is great, the acting is great, I just gained a lot of respect from Oscar Issac, he is truly a great actor, this movie is one of the best of this year.

All this movie does is a great puzzle for you to assemble, feels like there's not plot at all, but there's more plot that you think. Joel and Ethan Coen had delivered us another great (not surprising) film, that is yet to be recognised, but it feels like the Coen Bros. are loosing magic, but they're still making powerful movies.

The movie is not bad. It is all about Isaac's recreation of a single folk artist who wants to start again a successful career. The problem is that the singer is "stuck", same as the movie at some point. It is a vicious circle; and for me, limits its potential for what could be a great film.

The Coen brothers return with 'Inside Llewyn Davis'; a bleak character study that is one of their finest efforts, without trying too hard. The film treks a week in the life of the titular character, Llewyn Davis; a folk musician struggling to make it in the business despite undeniable talent. Llewyn navigates the Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961, and encounters many distastefulThe Coen brothers return with 'Inside Llewyn Davis'; a bleak character study that is one of their finest efforts, without trying too hard. The film treks a week in the life of the titular character, Llewyn Davis; a folk musician struggling to make it in the business despite undeniable talent. Llewyn navigates the Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961, and encounters many distasteful characters from his life (not that he's a charmer, himself). Without being able to plan for the future or face his past (such as the suicide of his musical partner) the man lives in the now. With no where to go and nothing to fall back on, his life seems to be headed in a vicious circle; and the Coens smartly structure their movie to resemble this dilemma. The Coens are master screenwriters; and there dense existential screenplay on this picture is a testament to that. Though craft a handsome looking film with the help of Bruno Delbennel's desaturated cinematography, and those authentic costumes and sets. The man a the centre of it all, Oscar Isaac, does a great job at playing Llewyn Davis; a character who we couldn't help but root for despite all his bad qualities. His brooding presence and his delivery of those wonderful folk tunes, was a delight to watch. Unfortunately, similar to the hero of this story, the film is quite underrated; but, I see it shining years from now. Like folk music itself, this gem just feels timeless.…Expand

Another masterpiece from the Coens. Although I disagree with critics hailing it as one of their best, this still is a great film that shows the struggle to survive in our world. Finely done and perfectly crafted. HUGE Oscar snub.

irst to the dusky bars of 1960s West Village and, more important, to the jungle of discouragement and confusion he's living in. It's a powerful performance. Supporting him is a great ensemble, some new to the Coen Brothers family (Timberlake, thankfully subdued and nearly holding his own against the others) and some beloved veterans (Goodman). It's not just Isaac and the cast, though, thatirst to the dusky bars of 1960s West Village and, more important, to the jungle of discouragement and confusion he's living in. It's a powerful performance. Supporting him is a great ensemble, some new to the Coen Brothers family (Timberlake, thankfully subdued and nearly holding his own against the others) and some beloved veterans (Goodman). It's not just Isaac and the cast, though, that makes Inside Llewyn Davis…Expand

The saddest movie I've seen this year also has a couple of the funniest one-liners. The Coens are probably the only directors working today that could pull that off, and they continue to have my deep respect. Oscar Isaac and John Goodman were also majorly snubbed for Oscar nominations.

[8.9] Even for a Coen Brothers film, this movie is surprisingly disjointed, and delightfully so. Pretty much every moment in this movie is memorable, and the guests the movie features are added in such a way that you wouldn't really think they had any importance to the film. The film doesn't really rely on importance to begin with, because it doesn't have a narrative or ultimate goal to[8.9] Even for a Coen Brothers film, this movie is surprisingly disjointed, and delightfully so. Pretty much every moment in this movie is memorable, and the guests the movie features are added in such a way that you wouldn't really think they had any importance to the film. The film doesn't really rely on importance to begin with, because it doesn't have a narrative or ultimate goal to support. It's essentially a cinematic documentary, which is something that only the Coen Brothers could do. The movie changes constantly and it's really impossible to lose interest. Issac also plays the likable jackass role near perfectly, and is quite convincing as a failed musician. The only flaw I see in this movie is the ending, but even that has its purpose. Llewyn Davis is an excellent, atmospheric, and beautifully detailed drama.…Expand

For those of you who are considering seeing this movie, a few thoughts:
-From my point of view, the user-reviewers who didn't like it missed out on the subtleties and complexities of character and tone. A movie's not obliged to follow the same form as most, or tell a story we've heard before.
-There's odd, dry humor that percolates through it, as you might expect from the Coen brothers,For those of you who are considering seeing this movie, a few thoughts:
-From my point of view, the user-reviewers who didn't like it missed out on the subtleties and complexities of character and tone. A movie's not obliged to follow the same form as most, or tell a story we've heard before.
-There's odd, dry humor that percolates through it, as you might expect from the Coen brothers, but this is their more serious side.
-Unlike many of their other movies, this has a more sincere warmth to go with the darkness, the oddness, and the intelligence.
-It's a rich, sad, dark winter's tale. It's the kind of stiff drink of storytelling that would not be out of place in the Bible or Gilgamesh or other classic literature. It's about a man stuck in a time and place and manner of being, as he hits up against the limits of what is possible for him, and often is his own worst enemy.
-See this when you are in the mood for more nutritious entertainment, and feel free to give yourself just enough distance from the main character that you can have a good look at what makes him human.
-The music is great, and it's all live performances.…Expand

I feel like what the Coen Brothers did in this was aim at striking a very delicate cord of: not everyone becomes a star. That harsh can really slap you in the face sometimes, and that darkness and that attempt to turn your shoulder away from that is something that the Coen's know how to illustrate. Great film.

I had fun watching this film. I liked the music and the village looks great. The winter is cold and the acting is good. Sure. But really, what is all this over praising about? where is the the criteria of these critics that refer to this as one of the best representations of the misery of artistry? Are they afraid of being considered un-intellectual? Have they ever looked overseas forI had fun watching this film. I liked the music and the village looks great. The winter is cold and the acting is good. Sure. But really, what is all this over praising about? where is the the criteria of these critics that refer to this as one of the best representations of the misery of artistry? Are they afraid of being considered un-intellectual? Have they ever looked overseas for other ways of representing art?…Expand

Delightful and dark. Perfect shots and imperfect, albeit highly memorable, characters. That's the Coens for you. Every frame oozes confidence. And why shouldn't they be confident? I'm pretty sure they can do anything. Except fail, that is. I'm also fairly confident that if anybody else had directed this it would've turned out somewhat mediocre. The brothers' mastery of craft, command ofDelightful and dark. Perfect shots and imperfect, albeit highly memorable, characters. That's the Coens for you. Every frame oozes confidence. And why shouldn't they be confident? I'm pretty sure they can do anything. Except fail, that is. I'm also fairly confident that if anybody else had directed this it would've turned out somewhat mediocre. The brothers' mastery of craft, command of tone, as well as their playfulness - all of it makes up for a plot as meandering as their roaming protagonist.…Expand

INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS is an intriguing character study loosely based on folk cult figure Dave Van Ronk. It uses anecdotes from this life, and includes signature songs such as "Hang Me, Hang Me" and "Dink's Songs". The occasional right winged politics in this movie are the polar opposite's of Ronk's progressive-left stance, however. In typical Hollywood propaganda style they make unionsINSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS is an intriguing character study loosely based on folk cult figure Dave Van Ronk. It uses anecdotes from this life, and includes signature songs such as "Hang Me, Hang Me" and "Dink's Songs". The occasional right winged politics in this movie are the polar opposite's of Ronk's progressive-left stance, however. In typical Hollywood propaganda style they make unions look like the thuggish con men (not that they don't exist, but this stereotype is highly exaggerated often for political purposes). I loved the surreal ride to Chicago and back. It is an excellent slice of life film.…Expand

Telling the downspiraling story of a struggling folk performer, Inside Llewyn Davis manages to charm it´s audience and give them something to meditate in the following days.
The one that makes the movie work in every way and is the essencial part of the movie is the one and only Oscar Isaac. After this film I decided I absolutely respect this man. NotMy Inside Llewyn Davis review

Telling the downspiraling story of a struggling folk performer, Inside Llewyn Davis manages to charm it´s audience and give them something to meditate in the following days.

The one that makes the movie work in every way and is the essencial part of the movie is the one and only Oscar Isaac. After this film I decided I absolutely respect this man. Not only for his amazing performance as an actor, as he perfectly plays the conflicted and subtly funny character the bros wrote for him, but as a folk performer who hits every emotional note as he sings. Another thing is that the songs where filmed live by the Coen Brothers and that peaks the challenge for Oscar Isaac just to the point to be amazed.
While the other actors are bypassing side-characters (except for Carrey Mulligan who is more present than the others) all of them manage to play their roles pretty awesomely and feel like Joel and Ethan Coen picked them very specifically for the characters they wrote, as every one of them understands how they must play their figure so that the subtle comedy can work. This film showed us the ability that the Coen Bros posess to write original characters.
The dialogue was fun to watch as you always expected a dose of crude humour to suddenly pop up. And that´s another aspect that was handeled pretty good. The humour in the movie is very subtle, natural but never over used, and it comes mainly from the dialogue and the performances who hit every humorous note needed.
Scene selection is something that the Coen Bros excell at, and now that folk song selection is their thing too. These songs fit the mood of the movie perfectly which is bleak but at the same time sympathetic. And plus the beautiful photografy this is a well done package.
Beeing said, this movie isn´t a cheerful one. Llewyn takes quite a life beeting in many scenes and it may be a little melancholic for some viewers.But it knows it´s themes and works with them in such a way that you won´t get this film out of your head in a few nights.
I just said that because this movie is deeper than just simply Llewyn´s journey this movie has metaphors and symbolism in it that won´t be easy to find but movie lovers will love to dig through the internet for answers. And that will be a gripe for some too. Many will feel confused becasue they just wanted to watch a fun movie or just sit back, relax and look at some meaningless **** (I sometimes like doing that too).
So in the end, great movie, amazing music, great actingm, an awesome pretext for making your brain hurt by analyzing it but clearly not aimed at the general audience.
I am giving Inside Llewyn Davis a 9/10.
Check my other reviews at http://thechannelofawesome.blogspot.mx/…Expand

A beautiful film with wonderful acting, and for those who have an interest in the folk scene in New York in the 1960's, its certainly a dream come true. Additionally, John Goodman, gives one of the best performances of his career.

The coens are back inside llewyn davis is a powerful,emotional with coens directing which might be a Oscars winning movie in what ever category with oscar issac delivering a career best performance and the music score that touches your heart and fills it with emotions that cuts right through the movie

This was the movie I was looking forward to the most of the current highly reviewed films. The music was great and the acting was good but the plot never seemed to go anywhere. I never felt very attached to any of the characters except Llewyn and his character was kind of an ass.
Not bad but not that great either.

I think the Coen brothers' most profound gift is their ability to translate any message, text, or emotion to film. To me, INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS is so special because of its brutal honesty of what it looks like, for most people, to pursue your artistic dream. And it's a damn shame. We see people come and go every day with theThe Most Brutally Honest Artists' Statement in Modern Cinema

I think the Coen brothers' most profound gift is their ability to translate any message, text, or emotion to film. To me, INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS is so special because of its brutal honesty of what it looks like, for most people, to pursue your artistic dream. And it's a damn shame. We see people come and go every day with the talent of Llewyn Davis, the titular character at the heart of the film, but through a very distinctly Coen combination of situation, lack of luck, and very particular misjudgments throughout the course of his life prevent him from ever reaching the reputation he may or may not have deserved (but could very well have reached it under different circumstances, which is the larger point).

Oscar Isaac completely disappears into his performance as Llewyn Davis, someone who may appear as a very average person in the streets of New York who has as many dreams and ambition as anyone else. But he's not a perfect person — he doesn't have the foresight or moral flexibility it might have taken for him to have made a more comfortable living out of the passion of his life. Oscar is able to wear this character like a perfectly fit glove, but he made it fit; years from now, people will be wondering why he wasn't aptly recognized for this work in his own time. The performance itself is an intricate, if modest, masterpiece.

Another strength of the Coens' is their ability to bring out the best of their cinematographers. The camerawork from Bruno Delbonnel will, at any given moment, visually clue the audience into the place, position, and state of mind into this central character's mindset through color, focus, framing, and detail. Cinema is, first and foremost, a visual medium; and, as such, both Joel and Ethan Coen know what director of photography to trust most to convey the thousands of words they have to say with each frame.

Finally, what makes this more than a worthy look is the work of Mr. T-Bone Burnett himself. The soundtrack of this film is easily the best in the world of music in its year and helps this film to transcend into a world of poetic irony that has little else but the decibel of its own understated 60s-era East Village earnestness to cry out with.

The Coen brothers themselves tend to seem like shy and introverted individuals. And it's only them who could have painted such a rich and painfully honest portrait with the very artistry they excel at. This is a look at art that crosses every possible medium. The Coens are asking us, "how many geniuses have slipped through the crack? What kind of beauty has been made in any field that I've never been privileged enough to experience? Are we ever really at the ends of the spectrum of possibility of the art we so enjoy to indulge in when such brilliant voices can never quite break through?" It's almost a message of humility — that their ability to tell this man's story is the minimum they can offer back to their audiences for the good fortune they themselves have had to be able to tell such stories in the first place. And, appropriately, they've crafted a film that wasn't properly appreciated by their own successful peers in its own time. The truthful tone will turn many audiences off from its message, but INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS is one of the most essential film offerings of the new millennium thus far.…Expand

Soul. This flick just has it--along with a character whose general demeanor seemed almost painfully familiar to me until I realized that I sometimes make eye contact with him in the mirror. Funny, dark, bright, strange, haunting, and many other adjectives that I'm too lazy to type. Seriously good stuff here. Come for the music. Stay for the cat joke.

I've been a huge Coen Brothers fan for a long time, my favorites being Fargo and A Serious Man. I think this might be their best film yet. The writing is just incredible, the songs, the music, the acting, the cinematography all flawless. No one makes movies like them, so unique and inspiring, heartbreaking and honest. I was blown away by Oscar Isaac, his performance will garner plentyI've been a huge Coen Brothers fan for a long time, my favorites being Fargo and A Serious Man. I think this might be their best film yet. The writing is just incredible, the songs, the music, the acting, the cinematography all flawless. No one makes movies like them, so unique and inspiring, heartbreaking and honest. I was blown away by Oscar Isaac, his performance will garner plenty of awards. This movie is a masterpiece.…Expand

Yeah, so this movie doesn't have much a plot. Don't let that prevent you from seeing it. One of the Coens' finest. A gloomy and real character piece is what it is. Llewyn Davis is one of the most complex original characters that the Coens have dreamed before, and what a performance by Oscar Isaac. Please, don't go into this movie expecting a formulaic plot about a lucky musician whoYeah, so this movie doesn't have much a plot. Don't let that prevent you from seeing it. One of the Coens' finest. A gloomy and real character piece is what it is. Llewyn Davis is one of the most complex original characters that the Coens have dreamed before, and what a performance by Oscar Isaac. Please, don't go into this movie expecting a formulaic plot about a lucky musician who strikes it big. You won't get that, the Coens can't let you off that easily. Another masterpiece by some of the greatest American filmmakers ever and my personal favorite film of 2013. Must see.…Expand

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Extremely deep and beautiful movie. Coen brothers are very very brilliant and witty in their scenes and dialogues. An unconventional and really intelligent story about a precise historical period which was very interesting. Before Bob Dylan. "Inside Llewyn Davis" has beautiful and characteristic colours. Coen brothers are great film directors, they are unique. You have to see this movie, it is one of the most beautiful movie of 2013/2014. It's unconventional and very very nice.…Expand

Other than the two German women talking through half of the movie, I found myself really liking Inside Llewyn Davis. I felt like it was a good example about how life was like in 1960s Greenwich Village for a struggling musician. Throughout the film you will learn a lot about the main character, his struggles and what his song mean to him. A nice plus to the movie was how the actors had toOther than the two German women talking through half of the movie, I found myself really liking Inside Llewyn Davis. I felt like it was a good example about how life was like in 1960s Greenwich Village for a struggling musician. Throughout the film you will learn a lot about the main character, his struggles and what his song mean to him. A nice plus to the movie was how the actors had to learn the songs before they filmed the movie; you have no idea how much that bugs me when you see an actor misplaying a note. The hot button issue with this movie seems to be people saying that you only liked it or didn’t like it because your preference on Folk music. Granted if you don’t like Folk Music (e.g. musician like Bob Dylan) you might want to skip this one, but if you like or can even tolerate Folk music there a lot more to this film for you to enjoy.…Expand

"Inside Llewyn Davis" is a masterly work of exquisite beauty, rigorous discipline, and supreme confidence. The Coens have purged the violence of "Blood Simple," "Miller's Crossing," and "No Country for Old Men," the jokiness of "Raising Arizona," the grotesquery of "Barton Fink," the college-dorm philosophizing of "The Big Lebowski" and "A Serious Man," the cornball regionalism of "Fargo""Inside Llewyn Davis" is a masterly work of exquisite beauty, rigorous discipline, and supreme confidence. The Coens have purged the violence of "Blood Simple," "Miller's Crossing," and "No Country for Old Men," the jokiness of "Raising Arizona," the grotesquery of "Barton Fink," the college-dorm philosophizing of "The Big Lebowski" and "A Serious Man," the cornball regionalism of "Fargo" and "O Brother, Where Art Thou"--in short, all of their trademarks as filmmakers--and the result? With all those crutches kicked away, this movie levitates in mid-air, as perfect as a pearl, priceless, graspable, mysterious, layered, aglow. It demands to be seen in a theater, in the dark, with an audience that erupts in laughter, then lapses in rapt silence. With Woody Allen's "Manhattan," and William Friedkin's "The French Connection," it is also that rare cinematic portrait of New York worthy of its subject.…Expand

The Coen brothers latest release Inside Llewyn Davis blends together many of the elements that have proved a success for them in various earlier works. A lack of redeemable characters, their signature dark offbeat humor, no apparent narrative and a very special genre of music in the soundtrack. The year is 1961 and Llewyn Davis is a struggling folk-singer who used to be part of a somewhatThe Coen brothers latest release Inside Llewyn Davis blends together many of the elements that have proved a success for them in various earlier works. A lack of redeemable characters, their signature dark offbeat humor, no apparent narrative and a very special genre of music in the soundtrack. The year is 1961 and Llewyn Davis is a struggling folk-singer who used to be part of a somewhat successful duo and is now trying to get his break as a solo artist. He's also a homeless drifter, who sleeps on whatever sofa becomes available and he's without a steady income. The film certainly paints the picture of rougher times, which produced big dreamers and resulted in deeper music with true passion.

Oscar Isaac deserves a lot of recognition not only for his acting, but just as much or even more so for his singing with which he even outperforms a big artist like, Justin Timberlake. I was amazed by how full of soul his singing actually was and how authentic his performance as Llewyn Davis was. Timberlakes acting performance is quite good in this film and his portrayal of a more conforming folk-singer named, Jim Berkley was great. Carey Mulligan has the role of Jim's highly cynical and very fiery wife and John Goodman plays an aged, eccentric Jazz musician named, Roland Turner. These two bring such dedicated and ranged performances to their roles and since this is really a character-based film the Coens have made sure that even the smallest part becomes a memorable character. The film follows Llewyn for a week and lets the viewer get to know him increasingly as he gets in to odd situations filled with the Coens signature offbeat humor, but Llewyn is a character who never really takes the moral, rational or admirable decisions, which should make him very hard to care for. The strange thing is that I still did as I got more and more engaged in Llewyns plight and that is what makes the film great in a very unconventional way.…Expand

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I have a certain opinion about this movie that I think differs from most reviews I 've read(although there was a review by David Kempler that I totally agree with).Well my opinion is that, odd as it seems, by considering the movie a great one and by supporting its greatness with the evidence of the story's moral (the talented artist that goes uncredited forever), you don't really appreciate what this movie is about.I have to admit that while watching it I was not satisfied either with the script or with the way it was filmed, not to mention my aversion towards many of the songs (but I guess this is a matter of taste).However, I keep thinking about the movie three days now and I feel that it haunts me much more than movies I've recently enjoyed a lot while watching.Why is that so? I think Inside Lllewyn Davis is a key to the cinema of Cohen brothers, a movie that enlightens the elements that make their movies special, and these elements, as is usually the case, have to do with a certain philosophy that transcends the movies and their particular stories and instead becomes the real center of their work(as expressed by the way they elaborate every story they touch into a kind of a myth with certain characteristics). To get started, I would say that the first thing to notice is that the cinema of the Cohens is a cinema of ambivalence. Take Inside Llewyn Davis for example: I believe that the way the songs are treated in this movie leaves for the spectator to decide whether they are mediocre or the work of a genius;the way the songs of Llewyn Davis are treated by the people in the movie adds to this ambivalence;we hear that they won't bring money, that he should get back to his duet work, we see people very satisfied with the songs(at the club, for instance)-but they seem to get satisfied with almost anything -and we know that Llewyn believes in the potential of his songs, but not consistently and anyway they are his songs and this is what happens inside him.On the other hand, success could then be counted only in terms of making money, of being commercial,leaving the question of what real art is in suspense.This kind of suspense lies in the heart of the movies of Cohens, I believe.And also, what else lies in the heart of their films, I see clearly here, is that the main character is to be forever damned, forever excluded from the possibility of self fulfilment, no matter how closely he comes to it. Llewyn Davis, no matter how much he strives, has no chance(the guy with the costume that awaits for him is not the Times guy we've been expecting to change his luck but one who wants to beat him up, and for good reasons;the girl he's in love with, although ambivalent towards him, won't ever conclude she's choosing him no matter how much we expect it to be so; when a chance to meet his child comes out of the blue, and we expect him to change direction, he won't take it, and although it might not change anything, his inability to act makes it seem like one more lost chance;and,perhaps most of all, in a moment of stress, he will leave the cat behind, closing his eyes to the begging of the more human of his companions to this road to hell on earth.Llewyn Davis is, in other words, doomed;and he's doomed in the way Barton Fink was(perhaps the character that is closer to him in the Cohen's universe),
So what's the moral?what do we get from all these?NOTHING as the Hulla-hoop man would say;at the end there is no point and no reason, no nothing except for a certain situation in which the main characters of the movies get lost-and loose themselves-within. Inside Llewyn Davis is the slow torture of a man in a world where he thinks he is someone and he deserves better , when the truth is he's no one and he deserves nothing;like the rest of us.I guess that's the reason the movie haunts me three days now;not the most enjoyable Cohens' movie, I believe, but one of their most successful after all, if we should count success by what a work of art imposes on the spectator as a human being overall. Perception is self centered on its basis and we always forget this but in the greatest moments of cinema the lonely doomed heroes (Polanski's ghost writer and many others, Snake Plissken, John Trent, Gilderoy of Berberian sound studio, just to name a few) tend to remind us of that;and to let us have a glimpse into the human condition naked-the way perhaps madness does-or this can only be a point of view( of mine) and beyond that there lies the valley of everything(and nothing).Good night!…Expand

After seeing claptrap like the recent Transformers movie, what a joy it was to see this film. To me, this wasn't about the folk scene in the 1960's; it was biting social commentary on success in America. The Coens message is that sometimes the talented and best don't prevail. If you ever wonder why the talentless hacks make it in whatever field, watch this movie. Very entertaining, couldAfter seeing claptrap like the recent Transformers movie, what a joy it was to see this film. To me, this wasn't about the folk scene in the 1960's; it was biting social commentary on success in America. The Coens message is that sometimes the talented and best don't prevail. If you ever wonder why the talentless hacks make it in whatever field, watch this movie. Very entertaining, could not stop watching it. Beautifully shot, and the music was great too. I don't get the negative reviews for this film. This is complex storytelling and its not meant for people who need immediate gratification or everything spelled out for them.…Expand

Inside Llewyn Davis is getting a lot of smuck from audiences for being too boring. It is very subtle and doesn't have an extensive plot, so if that bothers you don't watch it. What it is, is a character study that explores what it's like to be a struggling musician in a what appears to be a dying genre (at the time). I quite enjoyed the film. Oscar Isaac's performance was superb, mostInside Llewyn Davis is getting a lot of smuck from audiences for being too boring. It is very subtle and doesn't have an extensive plot, so if that bothers you don't watch it. What it is, is a character study that explores what it's like to be a struggling musician in a what appears to be a dying genre (at the time). I quite enjoyed the film. Oscar Isaac's performance was superb, most notably his musical talent. It's really quite beautiful how much we learn about Davis in a one week period. It might seem like a bit of a downer, but Inside Llewyn Davis is a human experience that reminds us of that passion and talent isn't always recognized.…Expand

First of all: Don't let yourself be fooled by reviews acclaiming "I love all of their work, but this work of'em has no concluding story etc." I'd ask each and everyone of them: "Which Coen movie actually has these features?"

For me, this movie has been great for several reasons... I really like the kind of music the movie is centered around & and I generally like the way the CoenFirst of all: Don't let yourself be fooled by reviews acclaiming "I love all of their work, but this work of'em has no concluding story etc." I'd ask each and everyone of them: "Which Coen movie actually has these features?"

For me, this movie has been great for several reasons... I really like the kind of music the movie is centered around & and I generally like the way the Coen Brothers make their movies, not heavily focusing on a concluding story, standards or anything, but always trying to create something that will make you laugh at absurdity, as it was for me with movies like "The Big Lebowski", "Oh Brother..." or "Burn after Reading". This combined with a nice sidekick in form of a cat let me had a really nice evening enjoying this movie. I got what I expected, the 105 minutes really flew by.

If I had to compare this one with other work of the Coen Brothers, I'd say it is somehow similar to "Oh Brother...", but with a very different setting and tone. So if you like the music & you like more movies from the Coen Brothers besides "No Country for Old Men", you shouldn't be to disappointed watching this one.…Expand

For all over the fake fans who so boldly claim they're "true" Coenn brothers fans you would know they always leave plot holes and rarely finish plot points. If you truly are a fan of the Coenn brothers you will love this. That being said this is one of their best works yet, every thing about it is amazing. One second it will have you on the verge of depression yet the next it will have youFor all over the fake fans who so boldly claim they're "true" Coenn brothers fans you would know they always leave plot holes and rarely finish plot points. If you truly are a fan of the Coenn brothers you will love this. That being said this is one of their best works yet, every thing about it is amazing. One second it will have you on the verge of depression yet the next it will have you laughing your ass off. So please don't listen to the on this post who are giving this terrible reviews just for attention, go see it. You won't regret it.…Expand

Inside Llewyn Davis is heartfelt, memorable and enlightening; not just because it uncovers the folk scene of the 1960's that we rarely see, but because it slowly unravels the truth behind the music industry: it is not only bloody hard to make it the top, but staying there is near impossible. Though some have accused it as leaving us with no satisfying conclusion (the end is rather sudden),Inside Llewyn Davis is heartfelt, memorable and enlightening; not just because it uncovers the folk scene of the 1960's that we rarely see, but because it slowly unravels the truth behind the music industry: it is not only bloody hard to make it the top, but staying there is near impossible. Though some have accused it as leaving us with no satisfying conclusion (the end is rather sudden), they are forgetting that the Coen brother's surely never meant for it to have the cheerful climax that many films now copy. Instead, they lead us through the struggle, the pain and the anger that failure can incur on someone's life, with all aspects covered well - if not excellently - by Oscar Isaac. This is not to say that we should feel sorry for Llewyn - the Coens have presented us with a deeply immoral man here. Not only has he slept with his best friend (Carey Mulligan as Jean), but he seeks money to pay for the abortion from her current partner (Justin Timberlake as Jim, who we never really get the chance to learn about). Despite this, the film remains very likeable; for the Coens have always had a knack at keeping their audiences engaged to iniquitous characters. Jean - the aforementioned best friend of Llewyn who is played dryly yet hilariously by Mulligan - is at times a blueprint of this behaviour. Though she too made the choice to cheat on her partner, she forever blames Davis for the mistake she surely made too. However, she never fails to support him when he is desperate, and through this we get the impression that even Llewyn realises he needs her (not just music) to survive. Therefore, Inside Llewyn Davis is far from unsatisfying. Not only does it appreciate time for loneliness, failure, friendship and the power of music, it unveils a far more realistic and worthwhile tale of achieving success than perhaps many others have before it.…Expand

If you like bleak, grey, then this is for you, wonderful movie. Sometimes a film comes along that makes you smile all the way through even if its dark. Coen Bros films do that to me, don't know why ! Maybe I'm just as sad as the characters. Wonderful music, fantastic pace, interesting characters. Loved it.

This is one of the strangest yet most satisfying movie experiences of the year, one of those films in which you can’t really appreciate what you’ve seen until it’s over. You just have to trust that the trip is worth the trouble. And it is.